Charter Chatter

- Whitsunday Rent A Yacht's eight-night Gold Package combines five nights aboard Angelique, a brand-new, $600,000 Beneteau Lagoon 400 catamaran and three nights accommodation at the 4.5 star, luxury Water's Edge Resort, nestled in the hillside just 100 metres from Airlie Beach's main street. Angelique accommodates eight passengers in four double cabins, each with its own ensuite.

- Crew members from 19 tourism operations will be better equipped to keep an eye on the Great Barrier Reef after completing comprehensive training in reef health. Tourism operators visit dedicated areas of the Reef on a weekly, if not daily basis and are highly experienced and attuned to the areas they visit. They are in the best position to monitor indicators like water temperature and visibility, the appearance or absence of iconic marine species, and to gather data related to reef health such as coral bleaching and disease. gbrmpa.gov.au

- North Star Cruises has announced a new Solomon Sojourn itinerary on board the ship, True North, featuring a mix of culture, vibrant coral reefs and history as well as snorkelling, diving, fishing and helicopter exploration in the South Pacific. The inaugural eight-day Solomon Sojourn cruise will depart Brisbane in November 2010, with a second cruise running back-to-back.

- Lake Monduran, near Gin Gin in south east Queensland, was created in 1987 on the Kolan River. Australian bass and barramundi are in abundance, with golden perch, silver perch, saratoga and sooty grunter being easy catches. When full, the dam has a surface area of 5340 hectares, a capacity of 586,000 megalitres with an average depth of 11 meters. Boating restrictions do not apply and a concrete boat ramp in the public access area is located below the lookout area near the dam wall and camping area. Camping and caravans are permitted at Lake Monduran Holiday Park, and a limited number of cabins overlook the lake. Currently the Park offers a 50 per cent off a third night or stay seven nights in a camping site and only pay for five.

- As the first pods of humpback whales enter Queensland waters on their 2010 migration, the ten vessels in the Hervey Bay whale watch fleet are ready to offer visitors a selection of whale encounters ranging from half day, full day, or extended tours of the area. A whale watch encounter in Hervey Bay is time spent with the whales at play, it's the joy of having a new mum trust the fleet enough to bring her baby over to the boat, and the cheering as friendly youngsters perform, showing off newly acquired acrobatic skills for their audience. This all takes place in sheltered waters, not the open sea.

- A tour of the floating world of Cambodia is the Australian National Maritime Museum's latest Asian cultural adventure. Explore the temples of Angkor and discover Cambodian maritime traditions -- ancient and modern. Experience Cambodian life as it's lived today on the inland waterways and sea coasts on 19 November -- 5 December 2010. anmm.gov.au

- Queensland's new Season of Sailing includes racing events, learning to sail on a bareboat adventure, and crewed charters. Sail and stay packages, including resort accommodation in Central Queensland, the Whitsundays and Townsville, are available until March, 2011. Every level of skill and experience is catered for on a range of boats. Individual race events for Queensland's Season of Sailing include:

For more information on Queensland's Season of Sailing and to book packages visit queenslandholidays.com.au/sailing.

- Sydney charter boat company EastSail has taken delivery of four new Beneteau First 40 yachts from the design office of Bruce Farr. They are sister ships to the first and second place finishers in last year's Sydney to Hobart Yacht race.

- Townsville in North Queensland averages 300 days of sunshine a year, making it an ideal destination to escape the winter chill. Eight kilometres or a 25 minute ferry ride from Townsville is World Heritage-listed Magnetic Island with spectacular granite boulders and secluded bays. One of the best ways to see the island is on a three hour Adrenalin Jet Ski Tour circumnavigating the island, or take in the top end on a 75 minute tour.

Image: Beneteau Lagoon 400 catamaran